HANS GRAF & SNYO / Singapore National Youth Orchestra / Review

 

HANS GRAF & SNYO 

Singapore National Youth Orchestra

Esplanade Concert Hall 

Saturday (8 March 2025)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 10 March 2025 with the title "SNYO pulls off ambitious programme under Hans Graf's baton".

Fact: a music director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra has never conducted the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) until this evening. This happening was mostly facilitated by the SNYO, formed in 1980 under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, becoming part of the Singapore Symphony Group in 2016. In a very ambitious and demanding concert programme, the young players distinguished themselves under the direction of Hans Graf. 

The concert opened with three short pieces by Russian composer Anatoly Lyadov (1855-1914), notorious for his fastidious but indolent personality, the result of which meant he composed only miniatures. All based on Russian folklore and mythology, the works were presented like a suite, beginning with Baba Yaga (Op.56), where Graf’s downbeat produced an immediate response of outright alertness and cohesion. 

This and Kikimora (Op.63), inspired by a flighty witch and impish spirit respectively, brought out the orchestra’s mastery of scherzando elements, namely razor-sharp reflexes and mercurial playing. Even more breathtaking were the fantastical spells conjured in the Impressionist scoring of The Enchanted Lake (Op.62) where an evenness of pianissimo and restraint were vital. 

As if to display its versatility, George Gershwin’s Porgy And Bess: A Symphonic Picture arranged by Robert Russell Bennett provided the greatest possible contrast. This big and brassy score, epitome of Hollywood glitz and glamour, saw a performance that displayed boldness and swagger. 

The extravagant scoring included three saxophones and banjo, the latter starring in I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’ played by Daniel Chai. Although the songs were not performed in the actual sequence as heard in the opera, it did close with Oh Lawd, I’m On My Way, the striding optimism of which was clearly appreciated by the audience. 

The true potential and metier of the orchestra were definitively felt in Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No.2 in D major (Op.43), also marking conductor Graf’s first performance of the Finnish composer’s symphonies here. The warmth of sonority from the string section was palpable right off the bat and would be a continuous pleasure throughout. 

The woodwinds distinguished with crispness and clarity of articulation, while the brass – with arguably the most exposed parts – could do with several boosts of confidence. Nevertheless, the symphony’s arduous journey from murky darkness in the second movement to affirmative light in the conjoint third and fourth movements was unfurled with no little majesty. 

The prestidigitation required of the strings was magnificently handled and one wondered how well schooled or drilled the players were. Much credit goes to their tutors and newly-appointed music director Joshua Tan for preparing them for this big and rare occasion. 

Inspiration on the day came from Graf, who clearly relished the opportunity and coaxed his charges to a rousing but not over-the-top conclusion for this patriotic symphony. To have witnessed two superlative performances of the Sibelius Second by youngsters in as many months (the Yong Siew Toh Orchestral Institute did it in January), was cause for pride and celebration.